Elf On The Shelf: The Creepiest Christmas Tradition Ever?

What started as a sweet attempt to convince children to behave for Santa has turned, inevitably, into a creepy Internet meme. Smirking silently behind cherub red cheeks, the Elf on the Shelf doll is a combination of Child's Play's Chucky and the Furbys of the '90s.

In the video above, Taiwan-based NMA TV has enacted all of our nightmares about the doll, resulting in one of the more gruesome (and lewd) depictions of Christmastime we've ever seen.

To be fair, Elf on the Shelf, a toy that's been on bestseller lists for the past six years, has always had a mildly disturbing element. Touted as "Santa's elves come to life," they're meant to be placed in children's rooms and left to watch over their behaviour to make sure kids land soundly on Santa's "good" list. The elves accompanied by a book, as well as a fully fleshed out website, complete with a space to register your elf and receive a certificate from Santa (a la Cabbage Patch Kids' adoption centre).

But it's the pixie-like gaze of the elf that you can't help but be drawn back and squirm beneath. As much as the moral judgement sounds like a good idea in theory, it's problematic upon reflection. As has been noted previously, the Elf on the Shelf is nothing more than a snitch, whispering in Santa's ear and tattling like there's no tomorrow. Is that really a lesson we want to impart to kids?